I really REALLY want to quit smoking but find it so hard!

[theeverydaydancer]

I have been an on/off smoker for about 12 years. Managed to quit for quit awhile - was smoke free when my DD was conceived and whilst I was pregnant with her and for about the first year of her life. For some stupid reason I one day decided to "just have the one" and BAM I was back to being a proper smoker.

I have now been smoking since the beginning of June - I hate it. I hate the taste of it, doing it, I hate the fact that it is costing me my health and lots of money. I feel like a really bad mum for doing it.

I tried quitting last week - went 3 days before I caved. Very annoying. I just turned into such a vile, person (luckily DD was with grandparents and i was generally on my own so no one got the brunt of my foul mood).

I bought the Allen Carr book yesterday and am reading that. I really want to try stopping again tomorrow.

Any advice/words of wisdom?

Currently doing it also. It is very very hard.

Wanting to is half the battle.

I find exercising helps- twofold reasons- stress relief benefits of exercise and the motivating factor of having smoke- free lungs to get better at whatever it is you're doing!

I'm in exactly the same position - I started smoking at the weekends in April after quitting for 3 years and before I knew it was back on 15 to 20 a day!

How did you quit last time? I went to an NHS group and used every nicotine replacement I could get my hands on! I don't want to let the NHS know I started again, so trying to go it alone with patches and lozenges.

I ran out of cigarettes at about 7 this evening so stuck a patch on and have cleaned the house from top to bottom!

I'm going to try and make tomorrow my official stop day if you fancy joining me?

I quit 3 years ago was on a 20 a day habit. have tried numerous times before. It IS hard. hardest thing I ever accomplished yet three years later there are times when I have lapsed but quickly realise it's not worth it. For me I went cold turkey. first week was the hardest after ten days you don't think about it so much but honestly must have been 3 months before I realised "I don't crave one". u have to change old habits, when do you normally smoke? first thing in morning, having a drink with friends etc etc change those habits makes it easier. good luck to you and we'll done for wanting to stop. that's half the battle won already x

good luck :)

Hi, thanks for everyone's replies.

Last time I used the inhalator thing but this time I just don't fancy it.

How's your quit day going clipclap? I have also "quit" today. Am using lozenges. So far so good but am by no means out of the woods yet. I made sure that I was very busy today, noticed my concentration starting to wane by mid afternoon (that foggy, spaced out feeling) and now am just very irritable and snappy

Plan on doing an exercise DVD after DD has gone to bed as hoping this will help.

I'm here to tell you something shocking. My dad , fit and healthy all his life had a major heart attack on Thursday. Luckily, he received excellent care and is expected to recover, BUT had he not got to hospital so quickly he would have DIED. Docs have told him the heart attack was definately caused by him smoking. He's in his early 60's.
they also said he will not live another year if he doesn't give up.

Btw, I do know its hard to give up, I did it 7 years ago.

l4k that must be a massive worry My mum had to give up a couple of years ago because she developed emphysema - she couldn't get dressed without sitting down to catch her breath twice. She managed to stop but found it really hard. I'm very proud of her.

Do you think your dad will manage to give up? If he's reluctant, would he consider an ecig? I stopped smoking 2 months ago with one (woohoo!) and haven't craved fags at all.

Very good luck to all you quitters, whatever method you are using!

I'm in my second day of not smoking. Don't want to get above myself but feel I have turned a bit of corner mentally in terms of actually not wanting to smoke anymore. But still have the nicotine withdrawals. Feel quite foggy headed, irritable and finding it difficult to focus. Hope I can do this. Good luck to anyone else trying to quit!

I could show you pictures of my beautiful 18 year old DS two months before and two months after diagnosis of cancer. The difference is shocking. And this is what the chemotherapy did to him. Just as it would to you if you got lung cancer and required chemo to cure you. If you saw first hand what cancer sufferers have to go through you would never put a cigarette in your mouth.

How old is your dd?

I gave up Feb 14th after smoking on and off ( off when pregnant) for years and I mean years think 30 years. I use an Electronic cig now, no smell, cheap. I only now probably use it once or twice a week, tis amazing I can say hand on heart I never get cravings

e-cigs are a fantastic invention aren't they? They didn't have them around when I gave up.

What helped me was putting the money for the cigarettes in a jar each day. You could see what you had achieved, there infront of you - and it gave me a very special fund, which I decided I would only spend on something nice - gave us a holiday at the end of the year.

Best of luck

Try the smoking cessation service at your gp surgery. I gave up (will be 4 years on 2nd February) after 30 years smoking, and was doing 20 a day minimum. with nicotine patches and visiting to see one of the practice nurses who then prescribed my next set of patches. I amazed myself I didn't find it hard at all. cold turkey methods as used before this didn't work and turned me into the evil bitch from hell. Yes I still miss it, but I don't have any desire to start up again...

good luck, don't beat yourself up about "failing". ONE DAY AT A TIME